by Riker Kane
“I’ll be here if you need me.” Redgrave bowed his head then moved over to the workstation at the side of the room.
All of the hard work was done for the night but it still wasn’t over.
~ ~ ~
The Fancy Diner was as quiet as usual. The bright lights were shining above but all of the patrons kept to themselves at their booths and tables. Conversation was at a minimum with most of the noise coming from an overhead ceiling fan.
The peace and quiet made the farting noise from the squeeze bottle seem even louder. Alisa pumped an endless stream of ketchup out of the bottle until half the plate was completely covered. She took one of her fries, dipped it in, then started chewing. She repeated the process over and over until there was no more room in her mouth.
In comparison, Jade delicately rolled half-a-strawberry between her lips, slowly chewing on it to savor all of the juice. She wasn’t as giddy as Alisa but there was an undeniable relief in her eyes.
Alisa took a moment to tie her blond hair up over her head. “Hmm… I’ve got that beach smell in my hair. I should probably shower when I get home.”
“Uh, do you not shower otherwise?” I said.
“Ha ha. I’m just reminding myself not to pass out on the couch. You know, you could stand to heap a little more praise on your squadmates. You attract more flies with honey than salt, or however the saying goes. I guess you’re not used to it though, seeing as you didn’t compete in a team sport.”
I sipped on a glass of water and shook my head calmly. “Just because I was the only man in the cage doesn’t mean I don’t know what it’s like to work together. Trainers. Coaches. Sparring partners. They all helped me get ready for all of my fights.”
Jade sat next to me at the counter. She leaned in closer, her cheek resting against her fist. “Is it the same?” she asked. “I mean, obviously you’re fighting Shadows instead of another person. But the feeling you get. The anticipation of a fight. Is it any different now compared to when you were a professional?”
Alisa chewed on her bite of hamburger and widened her eyes like she was curious to hear the answer, too.
When people found out I was a fighter, they always wanted to know what it was like to do it. I smiled thinking about how many times I had to answer the question.
“It’s different. There are press conferences. Fight promotions. Interviews. Reporters asking me all sorts of questions. Trying to get people to make the fight even though there was never any real animosity between me and my opponents.”
“I can see that,” Jade said with a smirk.
“I guess the feeling is the same. The rush of adrenaline. Using every ounce of energy you got because you know the person, or Shadow in this case, is trying to take you down. There’s no glory though. No fame. No trophies or belts. Just a mission.”
Alisa smacked her lips and took another bite of her hamburger, stuffing her mouth until it was full again. “You ever talk trash?”
Alisa raised her eyebrows, getting another laugh out of me. “Not my style. I was just a man who showed up and did his job.”
“A stone-cold killer. I figured that’s how you’d be, Champ. If I was a fighter, I’d be talking all sorts of trash.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jade leaned forward even more. The smile on her lips grew even wider. “What would you say?”
“I’d say everything. Nothing would be off-limits. What he looked like. I’d follow him home and make fun of his house. His mom. His dad. His wife. His pets. I’d talk about his kids, too, if I had to.”
“Whoa… That’s below the belt.”
“You gotta take every advantage you can get. It’s mental as much as it is physical.” Alisa tapped her temple with her index finger and took another bite. “Tell me you at least thought about it.”
“Never,” I replied. “I guess that’s just the way I was raised. My father taught me how to fight but told me only to use it when I was in a ring or cage.”
“What about your mom?”
I sipped on my water and shook my head. “Never knew my mom. Died when she gave birth to me.”
“Oh…” Alisa chewed slower as her enthusiasm suddenly dipped. She swallowed her bite with a half-hearted smile on her lips. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I wish I got a chance to know her. But I can’t miss someone who was never there. I still had my grandma.”
“And where’s she now?”
“She’s gone, too. About ten years ago.”
“Alisa…” Jade said softly as Alisa shifted her eyes away in embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” I said. “My grandma was old. She lived a long, fulfilling life. When her time came, she left with a smile on her face. I was already old enough to take care of myself. I’d like to think she did an okay job after dad disappeared.”
Jade put a hand on my shoulder. I didn’t need her to console me. Shit, I’d been over all of my losses years ago. But there was something comforting about the way she looked at me. Intense green eyes with a sincerity in them. I was so used to having her around, I forgot how she wasn’t like anybody else I knew in my life.
“It’s all good,” Alisa said. “Once we get to Anarchy, we’ll save your pops and things will be back to normal. I mean, as back to normal as they can be.”
“It’s not about me,” I sighed. “I just want him to get the life he deserved but was taken from him.”
I picked at the bowl of fruit in front of me. Jade was doing the same as she stared at her phone.
“Everything all right?” I asked.
She smiled softly. “It’s fine. I talked to him. He calmed down enough. Don’t worry about. Just… focus on what we have to do.” She spun around and got up to her feet. “Speaking of which, I just remembered I have to wake up early tomorrow. Gonna go out in the morning and try to smooth things over with him a little more.”
“Do you—”
“I said don’t worry.” Jade leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. I turned around and watched her the entire way as she left before disappearing out the corner.
“Ooooooooooooooh, look at that. Looks like you’ve got a little thing going on.” Alisa licked the ketchup from her lips then let her tongue roll out like a dog on a hot day.
“It’s not what you think.”
“Don’t deny it. When it comes to these things, I’m a seer. I know all. I see all. I can predict the future.” She ran her hand over the remnants of her hamburger like it was a crystal ball. “Tell me I’m wrong. She’s having relationship troubles. It’s only right you come in and save the day.”
“You’re wrong.”
“What?” she exclaimed. “Stop lying.”
“It’s not what you think. It’s a friend of hers who’s in a bit of trouble. She’s working things out with him.”
“And this whole thing you’ve got going on with her?”
“We’re working together to get to Anarchy.”
“Oh, brother.” The blond rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat, nearly falling out of her chair. “You can kiss and tell with me. If you can trust me with your deepest secret about saving your father, you can trust me with Jade.”
“That’s just it. It’s her secret, not mine.”
Alisa raised her chin and looked down her nose at me. “…Okay. I can respect that.”
I propped my elbows up on the counter and rolled my fingers through the bowl of fruit.
“I’ve been thinking,” Alisa said, unable to give me even a minute of silence. “You owe me.”
I laughed at her bluntness, too tired to say anything else.
“I think you should take me out for a treat.”
“And what do you call this?”
“This is called eating at a diner after work. I’m talking about a real treat. Don’t you think I deserve to be taken somewhere special?”
“Special? Are you telling me to take you out on a date?”
Alisa gave me a smug, tight-lipped grin. “Wouldn’t you be so lucky? But that�
��s not what I’m talking about. I mean, we’re heading back to fight tomorrow night. But during the day, I think we should relax. Jade just said she’s taking some time off. Why can’t we?”
My only focus was the mission. Spending time at the gym helped pass the time. But I couldn’t think of a good reason to turn Alisa down, despite the slightly maniacal look in her eyes.
The blond leaned close to me, nudging me with her elbow. “That’s the look of a man who’s in agreement with me.”
“I don’t know what look I’m giving you but I guess I can’t argue.”
“Perfect. Have you ever had sorbet?”
“…Not that I can remember.”
“If you had, you’d remember it.”
Alisa had a mischievous look in her eyes. She had a youthful face that made her look younger than she was. The dimples on her cheeks made her grin even more obvious. Everything about her made me wonder what she had in store for me.
“Alisa… I trust you.”
“Relax, Champ. Tomorrow’s gonna be fun.” She gave me a wink, which didn’t reassure me like she probably intended.
26: Sorbet
Alisa wore a short-sleeve pink crop top that showed off her flat stomach. Her petite frame was toned enough to pull it off and it was just loose enough to leave something to the imagination. Her jean shorts were just barely covering her ass, leaving most of her legs exposed. At this point, I was used to seeing her dressed the way she was. You had to respect the confidence of a girl who put herself out like that.
The middle of the fall in Newmire was warm enough to have people wondering if it was still summer or not. Most folks were out during the day, working at the docks or in an office building in the northern part of town closer to the city.
There were some kids playing in the park because school was out. Elderly folks strolled by peacefully among the old buildings that had been around for decades. The thugs and assholes did their business at night, so nobody had to worry about any trouble at the moment.
I stood in line with Alisa just outside of the small shop. Everybody was trying to look for some escape from the sun but Alisa made it more obvious than everybody else.
“Man, this is gonna be sweet. If I could, I’d have sorbet every single day.”
“Sorbet every day can’t be good for you.”
“Who cares about being good for you? I’d rather eat sorbet every day than be miserable without it.”
“That’s… one way of looking at it.”
The line slowly shuffled forward. “I recommend the raspberry. But you can’t go wrong with any flavor. You got any preference, Champ?”
“I’m sure every flavor is good here.”
“You’re damn right! Raspberry. Orange. Banana. How do you choose?”
Alisa’s enthusiasm grew with every customer that was being served. We eventually got to the front of the line of the small shop where the teenage server was patiently waiting for our order.
Alisa pressed her hands against the display case. Her eyes shifted left and right while she tried to search for the right flavor.
“I thought you said raspberry was the best one.” I risked interrupting and breaking her focus.
“I know, I know. I’m just checking if there’s anything new for me to try. But I guess I’ll go with raspberry. Make it an extra large.”
“I’ll have a medium pineapple.”
“Medium? Pfft! At least get a large.”
“Fine. I’ll get a large.” I rolled my eyes as Alisa smiled eagerly at me. The thought crossed my mind that she wasn’t actually twenty-one.
Our order was made quickly and we were back outside. The heat was a little more bearable now. Alisa led me over to the park area. She took a seat on a bench in front of the grass where some kids were playing football.
“Ahhh… raspberry sorbet.” She spooned it into her mouth and closed her eyes. Her tongue smacked against her teeth as she savored it for as long as she could. I couldn’t recall a time when I saw a girl enjoy eating something as much as her.
She opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose in confusion. “What are you doing? It’s sorbet time.”
“Right, right…” I took some of it into my mouth.
“Well?”
“It’s good.” I gave her a shrug. The growing look of anger on her face told me that wasn’t enough.
“What do you mean ‘it’s good’?”
“I mean, it’s good. I like it.”
“Of course you like it. Isn’t it the best thing you’ve ever had?”
“I don’t know about that…”
“Ungh, boys. I’ve never met one who had good taste.”
Alisa scooped up more of the sorbet from her giant cup like she was afraid it was going to melt. I relaxed under the shade of a tree, stopping to take a bite every now and then. My heart steadied in my chest and for a moment, I forgot about how I’d even met Alisa in the first place.
“You were right,” I said.
“I told you it’s good.”
“Not the sorbet. I mean taking a break. Ever since I met Jade and she told me what happened to my dad… I’ve been focusing on it so much I almost forgot I have a life outside of Pandora.”
“I get that. That’s kinda the reason I wanted to take lessons from you.”
“I thought you said you wanted to be able to walk the streets of Newmire at night unafraid.”
“That was it but the truth is…” She lowered her cup down. Her usually energetic demeanor had tempered a little, so I knew something was up. “I wanted to be a fighter.”
“You wanted to be a fighter?” I repeated it because I wasn’t sure I heard it right.
“I went on the Internet. Looked at all the gyms in the area. Then I searched the trainers. Turns out you were the one with the best record. Figured you could make me a champ, Champ.”
It was the first time I’d ever heard it from her. I still thought she was playing a joke but she wasn’t laughing.
“You just all of a sudden decided you wanted to be a professional MMA fighter?”
“Or a boxer. Whatever I was good at. Win titles. Become rich and famous. Mostly rich. That’s the life.”
“Not everybody who steps into a ring or cage becomes a world champion. You’d make more money joining the Legion. Probably be more famous, too. You know, a lot of these retired Omegas are pretty respected.”
“Nah. I could never leave Newmire. Not right now, anyway. This is my home.”
Alisa looked out toward the kids playing in front of us. She quietly ate her sorbet. Her eyes were lost in whatever it was she was thinking about. Alisa was an interesting girl, to say the least. And I still wasn’t sure what to think of her. The thought crossed my mind that maybe she was still up to something. For now, I had to trust her.
“Yo, check this girl out.” Some guy with a shaved head in a tank-top came strolling by our park bench. His arms were sleeved up with colorful dragon tattoos. He wasn’t very intimidating though with how skinny he was.
“Yeah, she’s a real cutie.” The guy behind him looked the same though his head was covered in greasy hair. Both of them had grins on their faces, their faces dirty with grime and their front teeth chipped in the same way. It was the most obvious signs they were messing around with drugs.
They stopped right in front of Alisa and looked down at her. “Haven’t seen you around here, babe?” the bald one said. “Wanna have some fun?”
Alisa rolled her eyes and sighed. “Does that ever work on a girl?”
“When does it not work? We could get high, girl. I got some rocket fuel that’ll take you all the way to the moon.”
“Ha! It smells like it. Maybe you should just take yourself to the shower first.”
“Oh! She got you, bro!” The long-haired one cackled and slapped his friend on the arm. But the other guy wasn’t amused.
“Whatever,” he said. “Don’t got no time for no skank anyway.”
The two began shuffling away.
“What the hell did you call me?” Alisa was upset enough to put her cup down and get up from her seat.
“Alisa…” I said under my breath, hoping my first attempt to stop her would be enough.
The bald punk stopped and turned around. “You heard what I said… skank.”
“I’m gonna mess you up—”
I jumped up from my seat and grabbed her arm before she could get any closer to him. “Alisa. They’re not worth your time. You’ll kill ‘em.”
“Yeah. Listen to this pussy and know your place.” The serious tone of the bald punk’s tough talk didn’t do anything more than make me laugh. Insulting me wasn’t nearly enough to get a rise out of me.
“You’re really not gonna do anything?” Alisa looked at me, almost pleading with me to do something.
“People make mistakes. You always gotta give ‘em a chance to walk away.” I turned around to see the bald guy inching toward me. Apparently, he was intent on making a mistake.
“I’m gonna teach you a lesson—” He swung at me. Another untrained, sloppy punch. It was slow, too. Saw it coming from a mile away. But there was something different. The Red Mana inside me… My reflexes were faster than they’d ever been.
I moved to the side and grabbed his arm without even thinking, twisting it and forcing him to the ground.
“Ahh!” He fell to the ground, whimpering in pain like a wounded puppy.
“Apologize,” I said.
“Fuck you—Ahh!”
All it took was a small twist to cause a lot of pain. “I go any further and your arm will snap in all the wrong places.
He started breathing harder. “I’m… I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t hear you.”
“I’m sorry!”
“That’s better.” I let his arm go and pushed him over to his friend. It was supposed to be a gentle shove but I forgot how many levels I’d gained, so I ended up nearly knocking both of them over. They both stared at me with panic in their eyes before quickly running away.
I took a seat back down and began picking at my cup of sorbet.
Alisa kept her eyes on me. “You should’ve just snapped his arm. Punks like that are what give Newmire a bad reputation.”